Refrigeration charging and evacuation apparatus



REF IGERATIN crumeme AND EVACUATION APPARATUS Filed March 27, 1946 March 15, 1949; v R w DOEG 2,464,563

IN V EN TOR. Rm. A IM 00:

?atenteci Mar. i, 1949 REFRIGERATION CHARGING AND EVACUATION APPARATUS Ralph W. Doeg, Detroit, Mich" assignor to Nash-' [Keivln'ator Corporation, Detroit, Mich.,- a corporation of Maryland Application March 27, 1946, Serial No. 657,565

\ This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus, and, more particularly, to the evacuation of fluids from refrigerating systems and the charging of refrigerants and lubricants into said systems.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement and method for evacuating fluids from a refrigerating system.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement for charging refrigerants and lubricants into refrigerating systems.

Another object of myinvention'is to provide an improved arrangement for evacuating air and moisture from a refrigerating system wherein. such fluids are withdrawn from the high and low pressure sides of the system simultaneously.

Further objects and :advantages will be apparent from the following description, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the invention is clearly shown. V f

The figure in the drawing illustrates a refrigerating system including animproved arrangement for evacuating and charging the system embodying features of my invention and shows the system partly diagrammatically and partly in cross section.

In refrigerating systems of the compression type now in general use it is common practice to control the flow of liquid refrigerant from the condenser to the evaporatorby a capillary or small diameter tube. The tube offers the necessary resistance to allow only the proper amount of liquid to flow into the evaporator. Such systems include so-called. high and low pressure sides. The high pressure side of the system extends from the discharge side of the compressor through the condenser to the capillary tube. The low pressure side of the system extends from the outlet of the capillary through the evaporator to the inlet of the compressor. I

In manufacturing systems of the aforesaid type, it is customary to evacuate all air and- 3 Claims. (Cl. 62-115) arrangementior quickly evacuating a refrigerating system. By my invention I evacuate both the high and. low pressure sides simultaneously thereby eliminating the necessity of drawing all of the fluid from one side of the system through the capillary, tube.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral designates, in general, a motor compressor unit,

preferably like the unit shown in the patent to Lawrence A. Philipp, No. 2 ,l99,4l'5,-issued May 7, 1940. This type unit shown in the patent .includes a motor and a compressor enclo ed in a sealed casing with the interior of the asing being on the low pressure side of the system and the discharge side of the compressor being in open communication with the condenser on the high pressure side of the system. The unit 20- herein shown includes a sealed casing 22 which encloses a motor compressor unit 23. The casing 22 provides a chamber or crankcase 24 which is on the low pressure side of the system and is in open communication with the intake of the com,-

pressor. The compressed refrigerant is not permitted during operation of the compressor to enter the interior of the casing 22 and is conducted outside of the casing through a conduit 26 and a combination evacuating and charging valve 30. The conduit 26 is connected to the I discharge outlet of the compressor and conducts the compressed refrigerant directly to the interior of valve 30. The compressed refrigerant after passing through valve 30 passes through conduit 34 into a condenser 36,wherein it is liquified and moisture from the system before charging the system with refrigerant and lubricant. In evacuating such fluids from the system a partial vacuum is produced therein.

from which it passes through a strainer 38 to a capillary or small diameter tube 40. The tube 40 offers considerable resistance and during operation of the compressor the tube maintains the pressure on the high pressure side of the system somewhat abov'th'e pressure on the low pressure side of the system. The high pressure. side of the system extends from'the discharge side of the compressor to the tube 40. The liquified refriger ant, after leaving the tube 40, flows into 'evapo-F rator 44, wherein it is evaporized and from which if flows through vapor return conduit 46 into the crankcase 24 which is in open communication with the intake of the compressor. The refriger which extends through and is affixed to the casing 22. The casing 50 .is provided with horizontal passages 54, 56, 58 and 60. The casing 50 is also provided with "a vertical passage 64. A hollow fitting 86 connects conduit 26 to passage 54. Thus discharged refrigerant leaving the compressor outlet is free to flow into conduit 84 through conduit 26, hollow fitting 66, passages 54, 56, 64, 58 and 60.

A flanged metal cup I extends downwardly in the upper part ofpassage 64. A metal plug I2 is inserted into the upper part of cup I0. The casing 50, cup I0 are brazed together to provide air tight joints. screw I6 with the lower part arranged for engagement with the fiat part of cup I0.

Within the lower part of casing 50 and extending into passage 64 is a plug member 80. The

Within the plug I2 extends a set aecases compressor into passage I00. Evacuation from passage I00 is through passages 84, 82, I I0, I00, I26, 628 and I30 and fitting I32. When this evacuation takes place, both ends of the tube 40 are being drawn on through the high and low pressure sides of the system simultaneously and it is unnecessary to evacuate the air and moisture irom' one side of the system through the small diameter tube 40.

When the system is evacuated the set screw 16 is turned to force the fiat part of cup I0 into enplug member 80 is provided with a vertical pascommunication with a passage I00 provided in casing 50. The passage B00 is in open communication with the interior of the casing 24 and the low pressure side of the system.

gagement with seat 90 to seal the entrance into passage 82 from passage 64. The valve I04 is then rotated by tool I20 so that valve proper I08 seals the lower end of passage 82 to maintain the partial vacuum produced in the system. The vacuum producing device I 31 is then removed from fittin I32 and a source of refrigerant and oil connected thereto to charge the system. Any suitable refrigerants and lubricants may be introduced into fitting I32. After the charging sources are'con- .nected to fitting I32 the valve I08 is moved away from passage 82 by tool I20 to allow the charge to enter the lowpressure side of the system. The

"charge enters the lowpressure side of the system through fitting I82, passages I30. I28, I28, I00, H0, 82, 84 and 100 into crankcase 24, and is in I open communicationwith the intake or the com- Inserted in the lower part of plug member. 80 is 1 a screw threaded hollow valve member I04. The

member I04 includes a tapered valve proper I06" which protrudes into the lower end of passage 82 for sealing the lower end thereof. The valve member I04 is hollow as at I08 and includes an angular passage I I0 arranged so that the lower end is in open communication with the hollow portion I08 and the upper end of passage extends through the edge of the tapered valve proper I06. Within the hollow part I08 of valve member i'04 are notches II2 for receiving any suitable tool for rotating valve I04.

A suitable tool for rotating valve I04 is the tool I20 which is carried in a hollow housing I24 secured to'plug 80 by coupling I25. The housing I24 includes vertical passages I26, I28 and I30. A snap on type of hollow fitting I32 is secured to housing I24 and is in open c0mmunication with passage I30. The tool I20 is operated by wheel I34 and may be pushed into notches II2 by pushing the wheel toward the housing I24 against the action of a return spring I36. When tool I20 is received in notches I I2 the tool I20 may be rotated by rotation of wheel to rotate valve I 04.

When the system is completed and it is desired to evacuate the system of air and moisture, a vacuum'producing device I31 is attached to fitting I32. The valve I04 is then unscrewed partially so that valve proper I06 is spaced below passage 82 so that upper end of passage I I0 is in open communication with passage 82. When the vacuum producing device I31 begins operation the air and moisture are evacuated from the high pressor. The valve I06 is again moved after the charge is complete so that valve I 06 seals the lower part of passage 82. The coupling I25 and housing I24 may then be removed from plug member 80. With cup 10 sealing the inlet of passage 82 and valve I06 sealing the outlet of passage 82 the system is ready for operation. During operation the refrigerant leaves the com pressor through conduit 26 whence it passes through casing into conduit 34 and into the condenser. From the condenser the liquid flows through strainer 38, tube 40 into evaporator 44. The evaporated refrigerant leaves the evaporator 44 through vapor return conduit and flows into the interior oi crankcase 24 and into the intake side of the compressor. When coupling I26 and housing I24 are removed a suitable closure may be placed over the lower end of plug 80, to keep dirt and other particles out of the passages I08 and H0.

pressure side 01' the system, through condenser and conduit 84 into passage 60 and passage 58. into passage 64 and from the discharge side of the compressor through conduit 26, fitting 66, passages 64 and 56 into passage 64 Further evacuation from the high pressure side continues through passages 82, H0, I08, I26, I28 and I30 and fitting I32. Evacuation from the low pressure side of the system is through evaporator 44,

conduit 46. interior of casing and intake side of Although only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appending claims.

I claim:

1. A refrigerating system comprising a high pressure portion and a low pressure portion, an

elongated orifice connecting said portions having valve for controlling flow between said passages.

2. Refrigerating apparatus comprising a motor compressorunit, a condenser, a refrigerant evaporator, means providing passageways directly from the outlet of the compressor to the inlet of the condenser and to the inlet of the compressor without extending through the evaporator a valve member for closing the passageway from the outlet of the compressor directly to the inlet of the compressor, a port in said last mentioned passage for withdrawing refrigerant, and a manually operable valve member controlling said port.

3. Refrigerating apparatus comprising a casing, a compressor in said casing, a condenser, a refrigerant evaporator connected to the outlet of said condenser and to said casing, conduit means connected to the outlet of the compressor and the inlet of said condenser, additional conduit means connected in open communication with said first named conduit means and said casing, means for withdrawing air through said additional conduit means from said condenser, casingand evapo- RALPH W. DOEG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Rataiczak Dec. 31, 1946 Number 

